The Kissing Club

On Ben Lantz's program, Dirt Radio, 1/31/2013.
http://wsuwaynradio.wordpress.com/2013/02/12/the-kissing-club-on-dirt-radio-2/ - WAYN radio

LOCK HAVEN - You may not be able to join the Kissing Club, as fun (or unsanitary?) as that may sound, but you can see them perform 7 p.m. Friday at Avenue 209 Coffee House, 209 Bellefonte Ave.

Kissing Club is a duo that prides itself on being "quiet, intimate and explosive."

The band's members come from the city that never sleeps, NYC; a city that seems to influence their modern sound.
Article Photos

PHOTO PROVIDED
The Kissing Club will perform at 7 p.m. Feb. 8 at Avenue 209 Coffee House, 209 Bellefonte Ave. For more information about the group, visit www. kissingclubmusic.com.

They use nontraditional instruments for a small indie group; between the two, in addition to the typical guitar and vocals, they also play cello and electronics.

Although the lineup has changed a few times, currently, the band consists of Jacob Miller, a native of NYC, and John Michael Swartz, of San Diego. Miller said the arrangement was triggered when a friend hired them to perform at a wine-and-cheese mixer.

"The real pleasure of playing and writing as a guitar-cello duo is that it forces us to be very inventive with arrangements and sonic qualities," Miller said.

"We can't do many of the things that are possible with a full band, but we have a whole other field of possibilities open to us that aren't available to other sounds," Miller said.

The band released a new album, "Tapdancer," on Jan. 26 and has since been touring the country with its "Winter Wonderland Tour" to accompany its release.

Miller and Swartz both come from diverse musical backgrounds; Miller has learned how to play many instruments - like the oboe and banjo - and Swartz has studied cello and keyboard since he was young. Additionally, Swartz has worked as an audio engineer and has performed internationally as a cellist.

Kissing Club initially contacted Avenue 209 to arrange a show. There are various booking websites for bands and venues to find one another, which is how the NYC duo stumbled upon the coffee shop.

"May I say that they sound a bit musically creepy?" said Jared Conti, barista at Avenue 209.

"They've got a Daniel Lanois-Iron and Wine-Ryan Adams feel to them, with instruments and looming voices that will be hard to match," he said. "I hope they bring a crowd."

These days, Conti said it has been a little more difficult to get people to come out for live music.

"I think it's how the music scene is these days," he said. "Everyone's got their iPods and what-not; you can get everything you want at the touch of a button."

However, by bringing in diverse, talented bands like the Kissing Club and not posing a cover charge, Conti said the coffee shop hopes to re-generate interest in live music.

The stop at Avenue 209 is the end of Kissing Club's tour, so it worked out well for them as they ease their way back to NYC.

"[We] heard good things about Avenue 209," Mill said. "Smaller towns in general are often more fun to play in than big cities because people get more excited about live music."

Also performing with Kissing Club on Saturday is Ben Johnson, a folk, rock and country acoustic act from Culver City, Calif., just outside of Los Angeles.

"This is my first tour as a solo performer," he said. "It's exciting to be on the road playing my own songs."

The Kissing Club duo plus Johnson are no strangers to one another, however, having known one another 10 years or more after meeting in college. The three are even in another band together called the Stevedores.

Although the Kissing Club is a new venture, they've been around the block in various bands over the years and have stories to tell.

"Once in Tampa Bay a man licked the sole of our old bassist's boot. Apparently, he's known for doing this. Look up Tampa Bay boot licker," Miller said.

They'll make their way to Lock Haven from Frostburg, Md. Before the show, you may catch the band members wandering around town or sipping tea at Avenue if it's cold.

To check out Kissing Club and listen to some of their tunes, visit www.kissingclubmusic.com. For Ben Johnson, visit www.bjohnsonmusic.com.
- Williamsport Sun-Gazette

LOCK HAVEN - You may not be able to join the Kissing Club, as fun (or unsanitary?) as that may sound, but you can see them perform 7 p.m. Friday at Avenue 209 Coffee House, 209 Bellefonte Ave.

Kissing Club is a duo that prides itself on being "quiet, intimate and explosive."

The band's members come from the city that never sleeps, NYC; a city that seems to influence their modern sound.
Article Photos

PHOTO PROVIDED
The Kissing Club will perform at 7 p.m. Feb. 8 at Avenue 209 Coffee House, 209 Bellefonte Ave. For more information about the group, visit www. kissingclubmusic.com.

They use nontraditional instruments for a small indie group; between the two, in addition to the typical guitar and vocals, they also play cello and electronics.

Although the lineup has changed a few times, currently, the band consists of Jacob Miller, a native of NYC, and John Michael Swartz, of San Diego. Miller said the arrangement was triggered when a friend hired them to perform at a wine-and-cheese mixer.

"The real pleasure of playing and writing as a guitar-cello duo is that it forces us to be very inventive with arrangements and sonic qualities," Miller said.

"We can't do many of the things that are possible with a full band, but we have a whole other field of possibilities open to us that aren't available to other sounds," Miller said.

The band released a new album, "Tapdancer," on Jan. 26 and has since been touring the country with its "Winter Wonderland Tour" to accompany its release.

Miller and Swartz both come from diverse musical backgrounds; Miller has learned how to play many instruments - like the oboe and banjo - and Swartz has studied cello and keyboard since he was young. Additionally, Swartz has worked as an audio engineer and has performed internationally as a cellist.

Kissing Club initially contacted Avenue 209 to arrange a show. There are various booking websites for bands and venues to find one another, which is how the NYC duo stumbled upon the coffee shop.

"May I say that they sound a bit musically creepy?" said Jared Conti, barista at Avenue 209.

"They've got a Daniel Lanois-Iron and Wine-Ryan Adams feel to them, with instruments and looming voices that will be hard to match," he said. "I hope they bring a crowd."

These days, Conti said it has been a little more difficult to get people to come out for live music.

"I think it's how the music scene is these days," he said. "Everyone's got their iPods and what-not; you can get everything you want at the touch of a button."

However, by bringing in diverse, talented bands like the Kissing Club and not posing a cover charge, Conti said the coffee shop hopes to re-generate interest in live music.

The stop at Avenue 209 is the end of Kissing Club's tour, so it worked out well for them as they ease their way back to NYC.

"[We] heard good things about Avenue 209," Mill said. "Smaller towns in general are often more fun to play in than big cities because people get more excited about live music."

Also performing with Kissing Club on Saturday is Ben Johnson, a folk, rock and country acoustic act from Culver City, Calif., just outside of Los Angeles.

"This is my first tour as a solo performer," he said. "It's exciting to be on the road playing my own songs."

The Kissing Club duo plus Johnson are no strangers to one another, however, having known one another 10 years or more after meeting in college. The three are even in another band together called the Stevedores.

Although the Kissing Club is a new venture, they've been around the block in various bands over the years and have stories to tell.

"Once in Tampa Bay a man licked the sole of our old bassist's boot. Apparently, he's known for doing this. Look up Tampa Bay boot licker," Miller said.

They'll make their way to Lock Haven from Frostburg, Md. Before the show, you may catch the band members wandering around town or sipping tea at Avenue if it's cold.

To check out Kissing Club and listen to some of their tunes, visit www.kissingclubmusic.com. For Ben Johnson, visit www.bjohnsonmusic.com.
- Williamsport Sun-Gazette

25. The Kissing Club – Little Acorn (EP)
This little four-track EP is like a handcrafted invitation to a divorce, or perhaps a peace offering of love gone awry. While the very slow songs scratch at the bones, a classic-rock-style guitar solo on “Someone Else” breaks the supposed tranquility and reminds us just how purposefully restrained these "sweet" songs really are.
Tracks: “Honeymoon” & “Someone Else” - no-alternative-daily.blogspot.com

It’s been a while but this band is worth the wait folks….The Kissing Club is BB 8! Original member Jake Miller (Also of Mechanical People and The Stevedores) used to play with guest members or as a solo act as The Kissing Club, releasing the CD ‘Hooks’ last year. This summer Jake put together a dream team of a band to tour with 100 Monkeys. The new additions were Anna Morsett- Guitar/Vocals, Zach Arlan- Drums/Guitar and Adam Webb-Orenstein- Bass. They also have a new album out titled ‘Little Acorn’.

I have seen Jake perform numerous times, this man is a guitar god, no other way to describe it. I had no reservations about seeing him with a band, because I was familiar with the work of the other members he had recruited so I knew it could only be fantastic! As the tour progressed all I was hearing were great things about the new and improved TKC and when I finally got my chance to see them I was blown away. It was even better than I had imagined! Jake’s intensity on guitar is magnified tenfold having Adam playing just as intensely next to him on bass. As for Anna, seeing a girl who can play a guitar as expertly as she can and at times with a BOW, is just refreshing. Zach is an absolute beast on drums, he plays in a way that does not just showcase his talent, but makes it apparent that he loves to do it. I have said this before about other drummers, but I feel like many times it is rare to see a drummer TRULY having a good time, not just staring out in apathy and half-heartedly banging away. His smooth beats keep your head and your feet moving along to whatever song they are playing at the time, fast or slow. The members of TKC really bring out the absolute best in each other and this vibe flows out into the audience at all of their shows.

The two CD’s that are readily available from TKC are ‘Hooks’ and ‘Little Acorn’. These two albums are very different from each other, but both equally as great. Hooks is a compilation of both fast and slow paced melodies, but leans more toward fast, fun songs. Little Acorn is made up mostly of mellower melodies, and the lyrics are even more emotionally charged than those of Hooks. Either way, you will love this band. They only keep getting better! It also helps that they are the most humble, chill people you will ever meet and they ADORE their fans!

- Badass Bands Blog

It’s been a while but this band is worth the wait folks….The Kissing Club is BB 8! Original member Jake Miller (Also of Mechanical People and The Stevedores) used to play with guest members or as a solo act as The Kissing Club, releasing the CD ‘Hooks’ last year. This summer Jake put together a dream team of a band to tour with 100 Monkeys. The new additions were Anna Morsett- Guitar/Vocals, Zach Arlan- Drums/Guitar and Adam Webb-Orenstein- Bass. They also have a new album out titled ‘Little Acorn’.

I have seen Jake perform numerous times, this man is a guitar god, no other way to describe it. I had no reservations about seeing him with a band, because I was familiar with the work of the other members he had recruited so I knew it could only be fantastic! As the tour progressed all I was hearing were great things about the new and improved TKC and when I finally got my chance to see them I was blown away. It was even better than I had imagined! Jake’s intensity on guitar is magnified tenfold having Adam playing just as intensely next to him on bass. As for Anna, seeing a girl who can play a guitar as expertly as she can and at times with a BOW, is just refreshing. Zach is an absolute beast on drums, he plays in a way that does not just showcase his talent, but makes it apparent that he loves to do it. I have said this before about other drummers, but I feel like many times it is rare to see a drummer TRULY having a good time, not just staring out in apathy and half-heartedly banging away. His smooth beats keep your head and your feet moving along to whatever song they are playing at the time, fast or slow. The members of TKC really bring out the absolute best in each other and this vibe flows out into the audience at all of their shows.

The two CD’s that are readily available from TKC are ‘Hooks’ and ‘Little Acorn’. These two albums are very different from each other, but both equally as great. Hooks is a compilation of both fast and slow paced melodies, but leans more toward fast, fun songs. Little Acorn is made up mostly of mellower melodies, and the lyrics are even more emotionally charged than those of Hooks. Either way, you will love this band. They only keep getting better! It also helps that they are the most humble, chill people you will ever meet and they ADORE their fans!

- Badass Bands Blog